The assassination of Abraham Lincoln

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The Assassination

of

Abraham Lincoln

Funeral Train Route

Buffalo, New York

April 27, 1865

Excerpts from newspapers and other

sources

From the files of the
Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection

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THE PEE8IDEHTIAL FUNEBAL COBTEOE.

Buffalo, 2V. Y., 2,1th. As erroneous statement*
nave been made by the press, it is necessary to
6ay on the authority of the embalmer and under-
taker, that no perceptible change has taken place
in the body of the late President since we left
Washington. The Washington physicians re-
moved a part of the brain only for an autopsy,
but this was replaced, so that no part of the. body
whatever is now deficient. fe* / 1-^ 7-^, _
The remains were Yisited through the day, from
9 1-2 o'clock this morning until 8 this evening, by
an immense number of pen,ous. The arrange-
ments are generally pronounced better than else
where on the route. Hospitalities are everywhere
liberally extended both by ttie corporate authori-
ties and individual oitizeus. " ■ .
During the morning was placed at the toot or
the coflin an anchor ot white camelias from the
ladies of the Unitarian Church of Baffalo. A
dot* of white flowers was also laid upoa the
coffin. At the request of Maj.-Gen. Dix and oth-
er officers, the St. Cecilia Society this afternoon
tepeated the dirge with, if possible, more solemn
and touching effect than in the morning.

The procession with the remains left St. James
Hall about 8 45 this evening, and were escorted to
the depot by the military, followed by a large
Crowd. The depot was surrounded by persons
anxious to get a last view of the coffin. The
train left at 10 o'clock for Cleveland.

AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT.

163

Meriden was next passed, and a bonfire threw a
glare of light on the whole surrounding scene.

Fairport, 2:50 a. m. The people with lighted torches,
banners, badges and mourning inscriptions were assem-
bled in large numbers, to view the funeral train.

Rochester, IST. Y., 3:20 a. m, Thursday, April 27.
Here there were assembled an immense multitude,
numbering many thousands. The Mayor, City Coun-
cil, military and civic organizations were out in full
force. The depot was draped in mourning, and in-
scriptions and mottoes were displayed, expressive of the
sorrow of the people. From the time the funeral cor-
tege arrived until it passed out of hearing distance,
minute guns were fired, bells tolled and bands per-
formed measured and mournful music.

The towns, Coldwater, Chili, Churchville, Bergen,
West Bergen and Byron were passed. At all of these
the people were gathered in groups around bonfires, and
some were carrying lighted torches, all eager to obtain
a view of the funeral cortege of Abraham Lincoln.

Batavia, N. Y., 5:18 a. m., April 27. A large num-
ber of citizens were assembled at the depot, which was
richly draped in mourning. A choir of male and
female voices were singing a requiem. Minute guns
were firing and bells tolling from the time the cortege
arrived until it passed out of hearing.

At Crofts, Corfu, Alden, Wende and Lancaster, the
depots were draped, flags displayed and the people stood
in groups with uncovered heads, as the funeral cortege
glided by. Soon after daylight, in passing a farm
house, a group of children were seen in a wagon wav-
ing flags trimmed with mourning, towards the train.
_ Buffalo, N. Y., 7 a. m., Thursday, April 27. The
following editorial appeared in the Buffalo Daily Ex-
press, a few days after the assassination :

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"How reverently Abraham Lincoln was loved by the common
people ; how much they had leaned upon the strength of his heroic

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164

THE GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE,

character, in the great trial through which he led tliern ; how per-
fect a trust they reposed in his wisdom, his integrity, his patriot-
ism, and the fortitude of his faithful heart ; how great a sphere he
filled in the constitution of their hopes, they did not know before.
The shock of consternation, grief, and horror, which revealed it
to them, was undoubtedly the most profound that ever fell upon
a people. It shook this nation like an earthquake. The strong
men of the nation wept together like children. Never, do we
believe, was there exhibited such a spectacle of manly tears,
wrung from stout hearts, by bitter anguish, as in the streets of
every city, town and hamlet, in these United States, on Saturday
last. Ah ! there was a deep planting of love for Abraham Lin-
coln in the hearts of his countrymen! Noble soul, honest heart,
wise statesman, upright magistrate, brave old patriot, the nation
was orphaned by thy death and felt the grief of orphanage.

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It would be natural to expect that where such noble
and sympathetic sentiments were expressed, the remains
of Abraham Lincoln would receive a tender greeting.
An extensive military and civic funeral procession
turned out on the nineteenth, the day the obsequies
took place at Washington. For this reason there were
no preparations for any such demonstration on the arri-
val of the funeral cortege, but it was met at the depot
by a large concourse of people. An impromptu pro-
cession was formed by citizens, headed by the military.
The coffin was taken to a fine hearse, which was cov-
ered with black cloth, and surrounded by an arched
canopy tastefully trimmed with white satin and silver
lace. The coffin was elevated so as to be seen at a lona:
distance. The procession moved along the principal
streets to the sound of solemn music, and reached St.
James Hall about half past nine o'clock. The body
was conveyed into the Hall and deposited on a dais, in
the presence of the accompanying Guard of Honor and
the Union Continentals. As the remains were carried
in, the Buffalo St. Cecelia Society sang, with much feel-
ing, the dirge, " Rest, Spirit, Rest; " after which, the

AND THE NATIONAL LINCOLN MONUMENT 165

Society placed an elegantly formed harp, made of choice
white flowers, at the head of the coffin, which was over-
shadowed by a crape canopy, and the space lighted up
by a large chandelier in the ceiling. Ex-President
Fillmore was among the civilians composing the escort
to St. James Hall. Large numbers of Canadians came
over to Buffalo during the day, to manifest their sym-
pathy by taking part in the procession and viewing the
remains. The funeral party being the guests of the
city, were quartered at the Mansion House. All kinds
of "business was suspended, and it was estimated that
between forty and fifty thousand persons took a parting
look at the remains. At eight o'clock in the afternoon
the coffin was closed ; about nine it was taken back to
the depot, and at ten p. m. the train resumed its jour-
ney.

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Abraham J^incoln.

H IS

LIFE, PUBLIC SEM1CR DEATH

AND GREAT FUNERAL CORTEGE,

WITH » B1STOBT »™ DBSCWPTIOS OP THIS

atonal Lincoln Monument,

By JOHN CARROLL POWER.

MONUMENTAL EDITION,

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SPRINGFIELD, ILL-
EDWIN A. WILSON & CO.
1875.

AVHEN THE BODY OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN WAS BORNE THROUGH THE STREETS OF BUFFALO TO SAINT JAMES HALL.

When the body of the dead President reached Buffalo on its way to the West, it was taken from the train and borne up Main street to Saint
James Hall, where it lay in state and where multitudes passed in review taking their last look at the features of Lincoln. 'The picture (from negative
owned by Frank H. Bliss) is one of the most interesting pieces of Lincolniana in Buffalo.- It shows the great throng on Main street, and the funeral
procession. The photograph gives a view down Main street, toward Shelton square, from an upper window near Eagle street.

ACTUALLY PRESENT

GUARD of HONOR oyERTWERCWAINS Of PRESIDENT

AND ON DUTY AS A

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Deep Sorrow Pervaded Buffalo

At News of Death of Lincoln

Express referred to it as "the awful, terrible
announcement we have to make"

Buffalo received the news of Pres-
ident Lincoln's assassination with
expressions of horror and deep sor-
row, according to newspapers of the
time, now owned by Roy Nagle, lo-
cal historian.

Express Story Quoted

The Buffalo Express of Saturday ing by the editor of The Buffalo
morning, April 15, 18C5, headed its pxpress.

dispatches about the assassination

with the words: Terrible Tidings, to the end of life in the memory of

to see the dead President's face were
eager to enter the funeral train the
crowds were "quiet, decorous and
uncxceptionally consistent with the
solemn and sorrowful feelings which
pervade the city
A. prophecy was made that morn

"Today is one that will be marked

The same day the Evening Courier
and Republic had a headline which
read: An Unspeakable Horror and
Calamity.

"The awful, terrible announce-
ment which we have to make this
morning to our readers — would that '
our type would refuse to set it
forth," said an Express editorial.
"We cannot speak of it. We are too
sick with the shock of horror and
grief and apprehension. We are too
stunned and bewildered. The dread-
ful tidings have reached us at a
very late hour, but a little before
going to press. God pity our poor
country! Its head, its chief, its hope,
so terribly cut down in an instant!
God pity it! God pity us all!''

Buffalo received the news of the
President's shooting early on a
Saturday morning and the city was
thrown into a turmoil. Business
halted almost completely, although
Saturday was the busiest day of the
week. Throngs milled around news-
paper offices awaiting dispatches
from Washington. Main Street was
draped in black bunting and yard
goods. The demand for black cloth
of any kind exhausted the supplies
In the city. In many places house-
holders ripped black clothing into
strips and draped the fronts of th> t
homes with them. Men and women
cried openly in the street.

Mobs Attack Homes

In fury some small mobs attacked
homes which did not display flags at
half mast or other signs of mourning.
The home of former President Mil-
lard Fillmore was without any sign
of mourning. A mob gathered in
front of the house which occupied
the site where Hotel Statler now
stands. After several hours of
grumbling protest the doors of the
house were smeared with black
paint. Later it was learned that
Fillmore had sorrows of his own,
for there was grave illness in his
house and he had overlooked drap-
ing the house.

Men who were known to have
Southern sympathies and were call-
ed "copperheads," did not make ap-
pearances on the streets when sor-
row for the martyred President was
at its height.

The deep mourning of Buffalo
continued through April 27th, when
the body of Lincoln came through
the city on its way to Springfield,
111. The newspapers reported that
although thousands of Buftalonians
and others who flocked into the city

every man, woman and child who
witnesses its event in Buffalo. Half
a century from now, the patriarchs
of that time— the children of this-
will be telling to the little ones at
their knees, with a never forgotten
sadness, how they looked upon the
dead face of Abraham Lincoln, and
how they saw him borne upon his
funeral way through the land, amid
the tears of sorrowing millions, with
such a following of love and rev-
erence, and with such majesty of
honors paid to the unconscious clay,
as never before attended the corpse
of man to its final resting place. To
the end of time, in every quarter of
the globe, generation succeeding
generation, will read with ever re-
newing interest, the story of this
journey of the dead."

KEE